Modal Verb Chart

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Modal Verb ChartMODAL VERB MEANING EXPRESSINGEXAMPLE MUSTTo have to100 % obligationI must stop when the traffic lights turn red.

To be very probableLogical conclusion (deduction)He must be very tired after such enormous workMUST NOTNot to be allowed toProhibitionYou must not smoke in the hospital.CANTo be able toAbilityI can swim

To be allowed toPermissionCan I use your phone please?

It is possiblePossibilitySmoking can cause cancer !COULDTo be able toAbility in the pastWhen I was younger I could stay up all night and not get tired..

To be allowed toMore polite permissionExcuse me, could I just say something?

It is possiblePossibilityIt could rain tomorrow!MAYTo be allowed toPermissionMay I use your phone please?

It is possible, probablePossibility, ProbabilityIt may rain tomorrow!MIGHTTo be allowed toMore polite permissionMight I use your phone please?

It is possible, probableWeak possibility, probabilityI might come and visit you in America next year, if I can save enough money.NEEDNecessaryNecessityNeed I say more?NEED NOTNot necessaryLack of necessity/absence of obligationI need not buy any tomatoes. There are plenty in the fridge.SHOULD/OUGHT TO Used to say or ask what is the correct or best thing to do50 % obligationI should / ought to see a doctor. I have a terrible headache.

To suggest an action or to show that it is necessaryAdviceYou should / ought to revise your lessons

To be very probableLogical conclusion (deduction)He should / ought to be very tired after such enormous workHAD BETTERTo suggest an action or to show that it is necessaryAdviceYou 'd better revise your lessons

Modal Verb ChartMODALEXAMPLEUSESCanThey can control their own budgets.We cant fix it.Can I smoke here?Can you help me?Ability / PossibilityInability / ImpossibilityAsking for permissionRequestCouldCould I borrow your dictionary?Could you say it again more slowly?We could try to fix it ourselves.I think we could have another Gulf War.He gave up his old job so he could work for us.Asking for permission.RequestSuggestionFuture possibilityAbility in the pastMayMay I have another cup of coffee?China may become a major economic power.Asking for permissionFuture possibilityMightWe'd better phone tomorrow, they might be eating their dinner now.They might give us a 10% discount.Present possibilityFuture possibilityMustWe must say good-bye now.They mustnt disrupt the work more than necessary.Necessity / ObligationProhibitionOught toWe ought to employ a professional writer.Saying whats right or correctShall(More common in the UK than the US)Shall I help you with your luggage?Shall we say 2.30 then?Shall I do that or will you?OfferSuggestionAsking what to doShouldWe should sort out this problem at once.I think we should check everything again.Profits should increase next year.Saying whats right or correctRecommending actionUncertain predictionWillI cant see any taxis so Ill walk.I'll do that for you if you like.Ill get back to you first thing on Monday.Profits will increase next year.Instant decisionsOfferPromiseCertain predictionWouldWould you mind if I brought a colleague with me?Would you pass the salt please?Would you mind waiting a moment?"Would three o`clock suit you?" - "Thatd be fine."Would you like to play golf this Friday?"Would you prefer tea or coffee?" - "Id like tea please."Asking for permissionRequestRequestMaking arrangementsInvitationPreferences

MODAL VERBSThe Modal Verbs are: Can, Could, May, Might, Must, Will, Would, Shall, Should, Ought to.

They are known as modal auxiliary verbs because they help another verb:I can swim. Do you think I should go?

FORM1. There is no s in the third person singular: She can swim; he must be tired; it might rain later.

2. There is no DO/DOES in the question: Shall we go for a walk? Can I help you? What should I do?

3. There is no DONT/DOESNT in the negative:He cant dance; I wont be a minute; you mustnt steal.

4. Modal auxiliary verbs do not usually have past forms. Other expressions are used instead: I had to work very hard at school; COULD is used with a past meaning in some cases.

5. They have no infinitives and no ing forms. Other expressions are used instead: Id love to be able to ski; I hate having to get up on cold mornings.

6. They are followed by infinitive without to: You must go; Ill help you.

Ought to is the exception: you ought to see a doctor.

7. They can be used with perfect infinitives to talk about the past: You should have told me that you cant swim: you might have drowned!

USEEach modal verb usually has at least two meanings.

1. One use of all of them is to express possibility or probability: I must post this letter (= obligation)You must be tired (= deduction, probability)Could you please help me? (= request) We could go to Portugal (= possibility, suggestion)May I go now? (= permission)Hannah may be at work now (= possibility)

2. Modal verbs express our attitudes, opinions and Judgements of events. Whos that knocking at the door? It could/may/might/must/should/cant/ll be Henry.

OBLIGATION is expressed by must / have to / should / ought to. We dont usually use must in questions, although it is possible: must I ? Have to has all the forms that must does not have:

I had to work yesterday (past) You will have to attend that seminar (future)She has never had to commute (present perfect) I hate having to cook (-ing form); If you were a teacher, you would have to be very patient (infinitive).

Should expresses weak obligation and is often accompanied by sentences like do you think: Do you think I should apply for that job?

MUST is used to express an obligation that involves the speakers opinion; it is personal: I must get my hair cut (this is me talking to myself)I must write to Anne: I havent written to her for ages! (the speaker personally feels that he must do it);

Must is also associated with a formal, written style: candidates must answer all questions(instructions on an exam paper). HAVE TO expresses a general obligation based on a law or rule or based on the authority of another person. It is more objective: I have to go to my GP (I have an appointment); In many English-speaking countries you have to drive on the left.

Sometimes the two verbs are interchangeable: I must/have to be back by midnight.

MUSTNT / DONT HAVE TO are very different! Mustnt expresses a negative obligation it is important NOT to do something: You mustnt steal other peoples things; Dont have to expresses the absence of obligation: You dont have to come tomorrow (it is not necessary).You can always use HAVE GOT TO, especially in British English. EXPRESSING PERMISSION: can / may / be allowed to are used to express permission: You can borrow my bike; May we smoke here? You are not allowed to use mobiles.

MAKING REQUESTS: can / could / will / wouldYou can also use the following:3Would you mind filling in this form?Do you mind if I open the door?Would you mind if I opened the door?

MAKING OFFERS: will and shall are used in such cases: Shall we go out for a pizza? (Shall is used only for I and we)

MAY / MIGHT express possibility in the present or future: Take your umbrella as it might rain.We may go to Paris on holiday.

Examples of modals in the past:MODAL + HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE (For the negative add NOT to the modal verb)You might have left your wallet in the shop (= perhaps you have left it there)Robert must have gone out (now hes not in).She passed me in the street without speaking: she cant have seen me.I rang Helen but she did not reply, so I suppose she may have been in the bath.Sandy did not come to the meeting: he might not have known about it.Sometimes modal verbs can be structured in the continuous form (instead of being followed by infinitive) when you talk about possible plans: MODAL VERB + BE + -ING FORMI may/might be going to Belgium in December (I may go = its a possibility).I really should be going now (I should go right now!).MODAL VERBSModals (also calledmodal verbs, modal auxiliary verbs,modal auxiliaries) are special verbs which behave irregularly in English. They are different from normal verbs like "work, play, visit..." They are used to indicate modality. They give additional information about thefunctionof the main verb that follows it. They have a great variety ofcommunicative functions.

Use of modal verbs:Modal verbs are used to express functions such as:1.PERMISSION2.ABILITY 3.OBLIGATION4.PROHIBITION5.LACK OF NECESSITY6.ADVICE7. POSSIBILITY

REMEMBER:Modal verbs are followed by an infinitive without "to"

Examples:1. You must stop when the traffic lights turn red.2. You should see to the doctor.There are a lot of tomatoes in fridge. You need not buy any.

EXCEPTIONYou ought to go to the doctor.

All the auxiliary verbs except be, do and have are called modals. Unlike otherauxiliary verbsmodals only exist in their helping form; they cannot act alone as themain verbin a sentence.Be,do, andhavealso differ from the other auxiliaries in that they can also serve as ordinary verbs in a given sentence.